3.04.2008 - 08:00am ET

(CSRwire) VANCOUVER, CANADA – March 4, 2008 - As ten thousand of the world's top business leaders, government policy makers, international agency representatives, urban leaders, design professionals, speakers, exhibitors and corporate environmental managers prepare to arrive in Vancouver, Canada, March 12 – 14, organizers of GLOBE 2008 are predicting the most influential global business of the environment conference in history.

"Anticipation around GLOBE 2008 is extremely high," says GLOBE Foundation President and CEO John Wiebe. The Foundation, producers of the GLOBE biennial series that began in Vancouver, Canada in 1990, is considered to be one of the world's most influential voices on the business of the environment. "This year's event will center around five main themes: Corporate Sustainability, Energy & Climate Change, Finance and Sustainability, the Future of the Automotive Industry and Building Better Cities," says Wiebe.

Featured speakers for GLOBE 2008 include:

Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director, UN-HABITAT; Director-General, United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON)

Program highlights for GLOBE 2008 include:

Opening Plenary – Wednesday, March 12 8:30 – 10:00 am
Discussing an overview of environmental issues facing society, the speakers in the Opening Plenary are some of the most influential voices on the topic anywhere in the world. Dianne Dillon- Ridgley, Director, Interface Inc; Gordon Campbell, Premier, Province of British Columbia; HRH Prince Philippe of Belgium; Beth Lowery, Vice President of Environment and Energy, General Motors.

Closing Town Hall – Carbon: Tax or Trade? – Friday, March 14 10:30 am – 12:00 pm. Leaders and experts will debate the issues related to implementing economic mechanisms to reduce carbon emissions. David Runnalls, President, International Institute for Sustainable Development; Robert Page, Vice-Chair, National Roundtable on the Environment and Economy; Mathieu Bouchard, Vice President, Sustainability, Rio Tinto Alcan; Mark Jaccard, Professor, School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University; and David Hone, Group Climate Change Adviser, Shell International B.V.

Greening the Gulf – Thursday, March 13 1:30 – 3:00 pm
From green cities to green investments the Middle East is becoming a hotbed for green initiatives. Abu Dhabi has announced $15 billion in new green investments; Dubai wants to be the green business capital of the gulf; Saudi Arabia is investing in green technologies and urban developments. John Wiebe, President and CEO, The GLOBE Foundation; His Excellency Amr Abdullah Al-Dabbagh, Governor, Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority; Yahya Bin Saeed Al-Lootah, Vice Chairman, S.S. Lootah Group, Ronald V. Portelli, Managing Director, Alturki Environmental Group; Ali bin Towaih, Director, Enpark.

Auto FutureTech – dialogues daily March 12 – 14

Auto FutureTech is a new special feature theme that will bring together an elite global gathering of representatives of the automotive and fuel sector's major stakeholders. Key individuals including scientists, university researchers, economists, entrepreneurs, leaders of think tanks, suppliers and representatives from major automotive manufacturers will create the blueprint for the future of the industry. Together the parties will explore the key issues, challenges and opportunities confronting the global automotive industry over the coming decade. Auto FutureTech will answer the question "what's next?" in terms of human transportation.

GLOBE 2008 – Trade Fair – open daily March 12 – 14

The GLOBE 2008 Trade Fair will feature the world's most innovative companies showcasing their innovations and capacity; and allow visitors to learn more about the most cutting-edge advances in environmental technology.

About GLOBE

GLOBE 2008 is produced by the GLOBE Foundation, an international consultancy organization in the business of the environment. GLOBE's expertise lies in project management, event development, and management and consulting in the fields of environment and energy, urban development, and corporate responsibility. The GLOBE Foundation is North America's longest operating producer of environmental events, having produced the GLOBE series since 1993.

For more information please contact:

Jeremy Dunn
Curve Communications Group
604-684-3170 ex. 5
www.globe2008.ca

Laura Ballance
Curve Communications Group
604-684-3170 ex 1

For more CSR news and information from this organization:

Corporate Social Responsibility Profile for Globe Foundation of Canada

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